“Fashion is not something that exists in dresses only. Fashion is in the sky, in the street, fashion has to do with ideas, the way we live, what is happening.” This was said by an influential designer of the twenties, Gabrielle “Coco” Chanel. Fashion is not something that happens just because an article of clothing is simply pretty or looks nice, rather it is fueled by what is happening in society, the needs of men and women, and modern ideas that keep changing. Likewise, fads didn’t just appear out of no where, they were based off what was happening in America at the time. The 1920s was an amazing time for fashion and ideas from that period of time are carried over into the ideas on fashion today. Fads of that time period are still notorious in society today. Yet the fashion and fads of the 1920s was influenced primarily by the changing lifestyle of women and the new advances politically, economically, and socially that were happening.
Societal influences on fashion and fads were very significant. Jazz was the new style of music. This created popular dance fads such as The Charleston, Shimmy, and Black Bottom. Dancing to these in Victorian clothes would be impossible. New clothes were made that women could dance and move to. The clothes were looser and shorter. Shoes started to be a focal point of an outfit and they became more fashionable but they also became suitable for dancing. Dance Marathons even started from this type of music. Movies were also a big hit in the1920s. Movies promoted glamour as a fashion trend. Women and men on the big screen were influencing the people who watched them and the stars in movies became heroes. They set the new fashion trends for the decade and movie starts became heroes influencing fads and what people did in the twenties. Also, magazines helped most women see what the new or hottest trends were. Vogue, The Queen, and Harper’s Bazaar were the most widespread and popular. In 1922 Egyptian King Tutankhamen’s tomb was discovered and this gave way to the new fabrics that were styled after Egyptian influences. Many of the clothes had either an Egyptian or Native American influence. Also, in society, there were less servants and restrictions on immigration. Women started to work outside the home more and taking a long time to get dressed or make clothing was unnecessary at the time. This gave way to garments being simpler and more ready to wear. Women needed to enjoy life after work and fads like flappers and crosswords helped them with that. Throughout all of this, men’s clothes remained conservative. Suits were still the same but they weren’t used to judge what class you were. Famous gangsters like Al Capone and Lucky Luciano lived a dangerous life but always got the money and women. Men were influenced by their styles of dress also. Fashion was vastly influenced by society, from magazines to notorious gangsters to a tomb discovered in Egypt. Fads arose from the movies, music, and the idea of wanting to stand out (ex. by setting records) in the twenties. "I would take simply a fashion magazine in order to see how women will dress themselves....Their fantasies would tell me more about future humanity than all the philosophers, the novelists, the preachers, or the scientists."
Political influences on fashion and fads gave way to the new styles of the 1920s. Women, with the nineteenth amendment finally passed, received their right to vote. Although at first most women didn’t vote and their equality was still limited, they were making some important changes. Women were becoming more daring and were creating a new sense of style. They abandoned their corsets and became more like men. They were looking for equality and they were dressing for equality. Womanly curves weren’t seen as flattering and the boyish look was in. Women wanted political freedom like men and even their style of dress showed that. Another big influence on fashion and fads was the war. People wanted to take their mind off the war and fads helped Americans to do that. Many men were killed during the war and many men and women had seen the horrors of the war. It showed America at that time that life was short and one should strive for heir dreams. Women strayed away from conservative styles and some women started to smoke, drink, be sexually promiscuous, swear, wear makeup, and more. There was a shortage of men due to the war and women wore more alluring clothing like shorter skirts and now trousers. Politically the war and the right to vote helped America stray away from old ideas and create new exciting lives.
The economy helped people afford the latest trends and fads. In the 1920s there was more money, but this was mostly for the upper and middle classes. Yet since the patterns of 1920s clothes were so simple any one could adopt the style just by being able to sew. “Mass production and the development of affordable synthetic fabrics granted everyone access to beautiful clothing and shoes (Thomson.)” Likewise, people could afford to go to the movies, buy a radio, and do something as simple as a crossword. There was more purchasing power from consumers and more nationally known stores began springing up. Women started to join the economy with their new jobs. Even if they would quit when they got marred most urban women got the feel of providing for the workforce. Most of their early jobs were even in the garment industry. With the newfound powers for women they also liked to relax with the easygoing fads. Power in the economy helped to promote fads and fashions.
In conclusion, the 1920s was a time of new possibilities and overall excitement. Men were influenced by gangsters arising from the prohibition acts and women were influenced by the magazines and the big screen. The fashion of the 1920s was influenced by a new insight on life and started to take steps away form the restrictions of the Victorian period. The war, right to vote, mass production of consumer goods, jazz, dancing, and much more sparked a new interest on the way one dresses and the new fads.
The Influences
“Fashion is not something that exists in dresses only. Fashion is in the sky, in the street, fashion has to do with ideas, the way we live, what is happening.” This was said by an influential designer of the twenties, Gabrielle “Coco” Chanel. Fashion is not something that happens just because an article of clothing is simply pretty or looks nice, rather it is fueled by what is happening in society, the needs of men and women, and modern ideas that keep changing. Likewise, fads didn’t just appear out of no where, they were based off what was happening in America at the time. The 1920s was an amazing time for fashion and ideas from that period of time are carried over into the ideas on fashion today. Fads of that time period are still notorious in society today. Yet the fashion and fads of the 1920s was influenced primarily by the changing lifestyle of women and the new advances politically, economically, and socially that were happening.
Societal influences on fashion and fads were very significant. Jazz was the new style of music. This created popular dance fads such as The Charleston, Shimmy, and Black Bottom. Dancing to these in Victorian clothes would be impossible. New clothes were made that women could dance and move to. The clothes were looser and shorter. Shoes started to be a focal point of an outfit and they became more fashionable but they also became suitable for dancing. Dance Marathons even started from this type of music. Movies were also a big hit in the1920s. Movies promoted glamour as a fashion trend. Women and men on the big screen were influencing the people who watched them and the stars in movies became heroes. They set the new fashion trends for the decade and movie starts became heroes influencing fads and what people did in the twenties. Also, magazines helped most women see what the new or hottest trends were. Vogue, The Queen, and Harper’s Bazaar were the most widespread and popular. In 1922 Egyptian King Tutankhamen’s tomb was discovered and this gave way to the new fabrics that were styled after Egyptian influences. Many of the clothes had either an Egyptian or Native American influence. Also, in society, there were less servants and restrictions on immigration. Women started to work outside the home more and taking a long time to get dressed or make clothing was unnecessary at the time. This gave way to garments being simpler and more ready to wear. Women needed to enjoy life after work and fads like flappers and crosswords helped them with that. Throughout all of this, men’s clothes remained conservative. Suits were still the same but they weren’t used to judge what class you were. Famous gangsters like Al Capone and Lucky Luciano lived a dangerous life but always got the money and women. Men were influenced by their styles of dress also. Fashion was vastly influenced by society, from magazines to notorious gangsters to a tomb discovered in Egypt. Fads arose from the movies, music, and the idea of wanting to stand out (ex. by setting records) in the twenties. "I would take simply a fashion magazine in order to see how women will dress themselves....Their fantasies would tell me more about future humanity than all the philosophers, the novelists, the preachers, or the scientists."
Political influences on fashion and fads gave way to the new styles of the 1920s. Women, with the nineteenth amendment finally passed, received their right to vote. Although at first most women didn’t vote and their equality was still limited, they were making some important changes. Women were becoming more daring and were creating a new sense of style. They abandoned their corsets and became more like men. They were looking for equality and they were dressing for equality. Womanly curves weren’t seen as flattering and the boyish look was in. Women wanted political freedom like men and even their style of dress showed that. Another big influence on fashion and fads was the war. People wanted to take their mind off the war and fads helped Americans to do that. Many men were killed during the war and many men and women had seen the horrors of the war. It showed America at that time that life was short and one should strive for heir dreams. Women strayed away from conservative styles and some women started to smoke, drink, be sexually promiscuous, swear, wear makeup, and more. There was a shortage of men due to the war and women wore more alluring clothing like shorter skirts and now trousers. Politically the war and the right to vote helped America stray away from old ideas and create new exciting lives.
The economy helped people afford the latest trends and fads. In the 1920s there was more money, but this was mostly for the upper and middle classes. Yet since the patterns of 1920s clothes were so simple any one could adopt the style just by being able to sew. “Mass production and the development of affordable synthetic fabrics granted everyone access to beautiful clothing and shoes (Thomson.)” Likewise, people could afford to go to the movies, buy a radio, and do something as simple as a crossword. There was more purchasing power from consumers and more nationally known stores began springing up. Women started to join the economy with their new jobs. Even if they would quit when they got marred most urban women got the feel of providing for the workforce. Most of their early jobs were even in the garment industry. With the newfound powers for women they also liked to relax with the easygoing fads. Power in the economy helped to promote fads and fashions.
In conclusion, the 1920s was a time of new possibilities and overall excitement. Men were influenced by gangsters arising from the prohibition acts and women were influenced by the magazines and the big screen. The fashion of the 1920s was influenced by a new insight on life and started to take steps away form the restrictions of the Victorian period. The war, right to vote, mass production of consumer goods, jazz, dancing, and much more sparked a new interest on the way one dresses and the new fads.
Works Cited:
Thomson, Pauline W. "Costume History." www.fashion-era.com. 9 Feb. 2005. 29 Feb. 2008 <http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.fashion-era.com/images/Silhouettes/1900to1910_drawings_timeline.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.fashion-era.com/C20th_costume_history/1900_silhouettes_1.htm&h=900&w=619&sz=94&hl=en&start=1&um=1&tbnid=9dVhSe24GC9gCM:&tbnh=146&tbnw=100&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dfashion%2Btimeline%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26sa%3DN%26ie%3DUTF-8>.
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